Man held on $1 million bond in fatal stabbing in Cedar Point

A $1 million bond was set for Curtis Pate, center, during a court appearance Friday in Carteret County. He was represented by attorney William Gerrans, right, who made a motion for bond on his behalf

Jannette Pippin / The Daily News

By JANNETTE PIPPIN Daily News Staff

Published: Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 09:00 AM.

BEAUFORT — An Onslow County man accused in a fatal stabbing that occurred last month remains in custody but now has a bond.

A $1 million bond was set for Curtis Liddell Pate, 29, of Richlands during a hearing Friday in Carteret County District Court.

Pate had been in custody in the Carteret County Jail without bond since his arrest on Dec. 14 on an open count of murder in connection with the death of Gary Nathan Harris.

During the brief hearing, Judge Clinton Rowe heard motions from Assistant District Attorney David Spence and Morehead City attorney William Gerrans, who represented Pate. Pate was present but did not make any comments.

Spence sought a bond of $2 million for Pate, which was kept at $1 million by the judge.

If Pate makes bond and is released prior to trial, he would remain under house arrest by electronic monitoring.

BEAUFORT — An Onslow County man accused in a fatal stabbing that occurred last month remains in custody but now has a bond.

A $1 million bond was set for Curtis Liddell Pate, 29, of Richlands during a hearing Friday in Carteret County District Court.

Pate had been in custody in the Carteret County Jail without bond since his arrest on Dec. 14 on an open count of murder in connection with the death of Gary Nathan Harris.

During the brief hearing, Judge Clinton Rowe heard motions from Assistant District Attorney David Spence and Morehead City attorney William Gerrans, who represented Pate. Pate was present but did not make any comments.

Spence sought a bond of $2 million for Pate, which was kept at $1 million by the judge.

If Pate makes bond and is released prior to trial, he would remain under house arrest by electronic monitoring.

His next court date will be scheduled for March.

Pate is accused of stabbing Harris in the neck during an altercation at Harris’ apartment in Cedar Point. Harris was transported to Carteret General Hospital, where he died later that day.

Investigators with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the altercation was concerning a woman but released few details in the case.

During comments at the bond hearing, Gerrans said the altercation stemmed from Pate trying to defend his sister.

Pate fled the scene of the stabbing but was taken into custody without incident a short time later at a Hubert residence, according to investigators.